bylsma has said REPEATEDLY that he wants engelland in there against physical teams. So far, especially as of late, it has worked pretty well. It's not like it's an arbitrary decision on his part. Bottom line, the lineup we had today only let up 1 goal against a top team in the league with our back up goalie in net. I'm gonna go ahead and give Bylsma the benefit of the doubt on our defensive line up after that.

When was the last time Engelland had a game off? Agree they played well today, but when your rotation doesn't move guys out of your bottom pair, its hard to explain how you have a guy like Despres on the bench.

I think that Bylsma saw the Rangers pound his superstar for 60 minutes yesterday without any threat of retaliation, and decided to throw someone on the ice that could drop the gloves...especially against an uber-physical team like Boston. The Pens really don't have anyone else on the roster than can 'deter' that type of behavior.

FTR, I'm not a fan of the enforcer role, but it was pretty obvious yesterday that there was no one to put fear in Girardi and the other Rangers running the Pens.

bylsma has said REPEATEDLY that he wants engelland in there against physical teams. So far, especially as of late, it has worked pretty well. It's not like it's an arbitrary decision on his part. Bottom line, the lineup we had today only let up 1 goal against a top team in the league with our back up goalie in net. I'm gonna go ahead and give Bylsma the benefit of the doubt on our defensive line up after that.

When was the last time Engelland had a game off? Agree they played well today, but when your rotation doesn't move guys out of your bottom pair, its hard to explain how you have a guy like Despres on the bench.

Engelland was just scratched against the Isles and Rangers in the streak?

That's my point, Crosby was hammered before and after the whistle against the Rangers...with no one in uniform to 'stop' it. Bylsma is old-school, and probably didn't like seeing the best player in hockey have to fight his own battles. The Bruins play an even more physical and aggressive style than the Rangers...hence Engo is inserted into the lineup this afternoon.

That's my point, Crosby was hammered before and after the whistle against the Rangers...with no one in uniform to 'stop' it. Bylsma is old-school, and probably didn't like seeing the best player in hockey have to fight his own battles. The Bruins play an even more physical and aggressive style than the Rangers...hence Engo is inserted into the lineup tonight.

mikey287 wrote:Hmm...this is weird. I'm gonna sound like a broken record though. The best goalies in the NHL are the ones on defensive teams. The Penguins are a bad defensive team and, therefore, have bad goalies. Now, the Pens play good defensive hockey and our goalies look great. Even the crappy one (which one that is seems to vary here).

Well, I'm stumped...

Have you not heard all the mentions about the bad defensive teams that Florida had when Vokoun played for them? Yet every year his save percentage was 92 or higher.

Have you noticed that the best defensive teams have CONSISTENT goaltending?

That's my point, Crosby was hammered before and after the whistle against the Rangers...with no one in uniform to 'stop' it. Bylsma is old-school, and probably didn't like seeing the best player in hockey have to fight his own battles. The Bruins play an even more physical and aggressive style than the Rangers...hence Engo is inserted into the lineup tonight.

That's my point, Crosby was hammered before and after the whistle against the Rangers...with no one in uniform to 'stop' it. Bylsma is old-school, and probably didn't like seeing the best player in hockey have to fight his own battles. The Bruins play an even more physical and aggressive style than the Rangers...hence Engo is inserted into the lineup this afternoon.

Had to miss today's game, figures when they're apparently looking really impressive is when I can't watch.

The thing that's really impressive and encouraging is that they're shutting off good offenses. Five goals allowed the last five games. With the exception of the Rangers, every one of those teams is in the top ten in goals per game. Very impressive stuff, especially when you consider that in the previous nine games they had given up five or more goals in one game three times, plus three more where they gave up at least four. Hopefully they keep it up even when Malkin is back. If they keep this up, there's no reason they can't go on a long run in the playoffs. Hopefully that last stretch of ugliness was just them getting the last of it out of their system.